Madeline Gaudreau gave birth to her first child just months after her husband and his brother, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, were killed in a road accident.
Madeline lost her husband Matthew Gaudreau in August when he and his brother were hit by an alleged drunk driver while biking in New Jersey.
The new mom shared the news on Instagram on Sunday, posting a photo of the newborn’s tiny hand as he lays on a baby blanket next to a sign that read, “He’s Here.”
“Mommy & Daddy’s world,” the caption read, underneath the baby’s name.
The boy’s name, Tripp, was previously announced publicly on Oct. 14 with a short video about the baby shower.
“A little bit of heaven is on his way,” the clip captioned as the camera swooped through the decorated home. A text message accompanying the clip began with a Bible verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” from Matthew.
“And it sure is no coincidence that this bible verse by Jesus falls in Matthew which just so happens to be Baby Tripp’s father’s name & his soon-to-be middle name,” the post read.
The baby shower clip, which was posted around six weeks after the tragic accident, included some very pertinent advice: “Hug your loved ones, cherish your time on earth, be grateful, help others, stay positive, be humble, do what is right and be kind. It truly makes a difference in your own life & the lives of others!”
“BE A GOOD HUMAN like Matty & Johnny”
Madeline and Matthew announced the pregnancy on June 22, but the happy couple faced a tragic twist of fate that struck just two months later.
On the evening of Aug. 29, Madeline’s 29-year-old husband, and his brother, 31-year-old Johnny Gaudreau, were fatally struck by a Jeep Grand Cherokee while they were out cycling in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.
According to the New Jersey State Police, the Jeep hit the two men while attempting to pass another car. The driver, identified as 43-year-old Sean Higgins, was charged with two counts of death by auto, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Higgins admitted to having consumed five to six beers before the accident, according to court documents.
The timing of the accident couldn’t be worse—in addition to Madeline’s pregnancy, the two brothers were supposed to serve as groomsmen at their sister’s wedding the following morning.
In a statement released after the tragic accident, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman praised Johnny Gaudreau’s “infectious spirit” and “show-stopping skills on the ice” that earned him the nickname “Johnny Hockey.”
Gaudreau’s team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, praised him not only for his hockey skills but “more significantly” as “a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”